Lubricator for crank and similar shafts.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFffiE.

LUBRICATOR FOR CRANK AND SIMILAR SHAFTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed January 4, 1904. Renewed November 15, 1905. Serial No. 287,482.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS S. PATTERSON, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Lubricator for Crank and Similar Shafts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved means of lubricating the crank-shafts of engines and similar shafts; and the object of my invention is to produce a very simple and efficient self-oiling apparatus which can be loaded with heavy oil and will supply the journal-bearings with the necessary amount for a long time.

Another object of my invention is to regulate and proportion the outlets for the oil for the several bearings of the shaft so that the proper amount shall be distributed to each bearing without regard to the distance of the bearing from the oil-inlet.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a simple means by which the pres sure on the oil may be regulated without stopping the shaft, to the end that it may be distributed through the several distributingports to the necessary extent.

To these ends my invention consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure 1 is a broken elevation, partly in section, of a crank-shaft, showingoiny improved oiling means; and Fig. 2 is a crosssection on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Y

The crank shaft 10 is hollow, and its shape, the number of cranks, and other details are not material to my invention. The bore, however, of the shaft extends through all the parts, and in the arms 10 of the cranks the bore is reduced, the larger parts coming opposite the journahbearings of the shaft. The bore is reduced in the crank arms, because the centrifugal force generated by the movement of the arms causes the oil to be thrown to the outer parts or journalbearings thereof, so that the reduction of the bore is desirable to preserve the right proporpierced, as shown at 1.1, to provide ports for the outflow of oil, and as the supply and pressure are both greater near the inlet end of the shaft the ports are less numerous at this point and gradually increase in number as the opposite end of the shaft is reached. For instance, by referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the left-hand hearing has but one port, while the next has two, the next three, the next five, and so on. Of course any particular number is not essential; but the outlet or feed ports should be proportionate to the distance from the intake end of the shaft. One end of the shaft 10 is open and can be closed by the cap 12, which screws into the end of the shaft and on the outer part of which is a rotary finger-piece 12, attached to a key 13. The latter turns in the cap 12, but has its inner part squared, as shown clearly in the drawings, the squared portion being extended through a nut 14:, which turns in the inner threaded portion of the shaft 10, and it will be seen that the nut 14 and key 13 may slide in relation to each other, but that the turning of the key turns the nut. When the shaft is filled, the nut is left near the outer end of the shaft, and as the oil is used and it is desired to have more pressure on it one can merely touch the finger-piece 12 as the shaft 10 revolves and this will cause the key 13 and nut 14 to revolve, thus turning the nut farther into the shaft and increasing the pressure on the oil. I do not limit myself to this particular form of abutment for producing pressure on the oil, although I find it most convenient. For practical purposes it is desirable to use a very heavy oil, as the heat from the bearings has a tendency to liquefy it and the centrifugal force of the shaft will carry it out through the ports 11 and will also cause it to find its way through the whole length of the shaft.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent-- 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a crank-shaft having a bore extending from end to end, the said bore being reduced in the crank-arms and continuing through the crank-pins and the shaft being provided with outlet-ports at its bearing-points, the

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said ports gradually inereasingin number as smaller through the crank-arms and the the distance from the filling end of the shaft shaft being provided at its bearing-points 10 increases. d 1 f f With outlet-ports.

2. s an improve artie e 0 manu aeture 5 a crank-shaft having a longitudinal bore ex THOMAS PATTERSON tending from end to end, the bore being Witnesses: largest in the main portions of the shaft, WARREN B. HUTOHINSON,

smaller through the crank-pins and still J. G. DUNBAR. 

